Bad Directions?

I officially began my job as an intern for Transparency International-Latvia. Currently, we are in the process of surveying all the businesses registered with the American Chamber of Commerce here in Latvia. The survey is basically just an elongated questionaire asking opinions concerning the corruption in Latvia. Some of the companies seem very eager to take part. Others, namely Phillip Morris, have been outright rude in their denial of corrupt activies and won't give us the time of day. I guess this shouldn't come as a huge suprise considering they expedite the mortality rate of their consumers. Maybe I'm just being synical and presumptuous. I shouldn't assume as much. My mother always told me (well, she mentioned it a few times) that when you assume, you make an ASS out of U and and ASS out of ME. But that would spell assuassme which doesn't really make any sense at all. Why I ever believed her I don't know. I think it was just her way of being able to swear. On Scout outings Dad always joined in with the "dam" jokes and I suppose Mom wanted to show how cool she was too. Can I blame her?

The hostel I bunked in for the past 5 nights is in the hindsights (for now). The previos intern has left, but his place was paid for up until the 16th, so he offered it to me. So it is here that I will reside for the next 9 days. I really don't mind being a transient, especially when it is in my fiscal favor. Looking for a place can be quite difficult. Today, for instance, I made arrangements with a women to see a flat for rent. At the designated time I went to the place where we were to meet. After a half hour's wait, she had yet to show. So I left. I figured she most likely wasn't coming. Plus, I had plans - it was Family Home Evening at my new BFFs home! I hadn't been so excited for Family Home Evening since I was 9 and we went for hamburgers at Artic Circle. So there I was, strolling down the cooblestone streets of central Riga following the directions to get to the Hunter's appartment. Upon arriving at what I thought was the right building, and searching...and searching, I never found the right place. Strike two for the day. Maybe I don't listen well? Maybe people don't spell things out clear enough? Maybe I assuassme too much? Maybe it's just my bad luck? The good thing about it all is that each time I go somewhere new without knowing exactly where I'm going, I see a new part of the city. Yeah, that's it - good, old Riga and I getting intimate.